15 December 2017
The Honorable Ginette Petitpas Taylor
Minister of Health
70 Colombine Driveway
Tunney's Pasture
K1A 0K9
Dear Minister Taylor:
RE: Blood donation ban for gay men
I am writing today to urge you to end the ban on blood, organ and bone marrow donations from men who have sex with men.

The need for universal, affordable and accessible child care is greater than ever as child care fees across Canada continue to rise faster than the rate of inflation.
A new study by the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives (CCPA), Time Out: Child care fees in Canada 2017, shows that child care fees have risen faster than inflation in 71% of Canadian cities since last year, and in 82% of cities since 2014.

PSAC activists are bringing the stories of our members to Parliament Hill so that MPs don’t lose sight of the impact the Phoenix debacle is having on the personal lives of federal public service workers.

The Public Service Alliance of Canada welcomes the government’s apology and redress for Canadians who were fired from their job or criminally charged for being lesbian, gay, bisexual, two-spirit or trans.
“This apology is well overdue,” says PSAC National President Robyn Benson. “Far too many federal public service workers have been persecuted in the workplace due to their sexual orientation or identity. This is a necessary step in creating a safe, respectful and inclusive work environment for our LGBTQ2 members.”

The Liberal government’s response to recommendations to strengthen the Public Servants Disclosure Protection Act is completely inadequate.
Earlier this year, the House of Commons Government Operations and Estimates Committee produced a report that was critical of the current law and made recommendations to improve the Act.

PSAC’s priority remains getting our members paid correctly and on time. We welcome any system that would pay our members. It is unacceptable that, after nearly two years, the federal government still can’t pay its employees properly.

Escaping family violence shouldn't mean a loss of pay
Domestic violence impacts work life. In Canada, over a third of people have experienced violence at the hands of an intimate partner or ex-partner. The trauma and stress that victims experience frequently affects a worker’s ability to do their job.

The Public Service Alliance of Canada is pleased to see the government propose stronger legislation to address harassment and sexual violence at work and now offer protection to Parliament Hill staff, including more than 600 PSAC members.
The proposed legislation, Bill C-65, would amend both the Canada Labour Code and the Parliamentary Employment and Staff Relations Act.

PSAC is taking swift action in response to Treasury Board’s admission that it will not be meeting the implementation deadline for the PA, SV, TC and EB collective agreements. On behalf of the over 100,000 workers covered by these agreements, PSAC will file a complaint with the federal Public Service Labour Relations and Employment Board.